


A Pretty Flower

by kenhinacanon



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Flower Shop, Fluff, M/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-27
Updated: 2019-08-27
Packaged: 2020-09-27 16:03:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20410498
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kenhinacanon/pseuds/kenhinacanon
Summary: In which Mark is a clueless customer who thinks Donghyuck, the florist, is pretty, and the florist openly flirts with Mark, but Mark is, as mentioned, clueless.





	A Pretty Flower

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BooksandKpop](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BooksandKpop/gifts).

> I was inspired by a story called "They're Not For Me" by BooksandKpop, so credit for this idea goes to them. I hope you enjoy!

The bell jingled above the door as Mark walked into the flower shop for the third time that week. _One day_, he thought, _I’m going to have to actually buy something._

He walked through the displays, not really looking at any of the flowers. His eyes roved over to the counter, hoping to see the pretty cashier.

He didn’t know the cashier’s name since he never wore a nametag, and he hadn’t spoken a word to him, but he was beautiful. He had little to no interest in flowers, but he was very interested in the boy who made arrangements behind the counter. 

He had sunkissed skin, brown hair, chocolate brown eyes. His laugh was the prettiest thing Mark had ever heard. Sometimes, he heard the boy humming to himself while he fixed displays, and Mark knew he had the most amazing singing voice without ever having heard him sing. 

He picked up a yellow tulip, pretending to study it and seem profound as the cashier fixed the hyacinths next to him. He wanted to say something to him, anything, but he didn’t know what. Maybe something about the flowers? 

“Do you need any help?” Mark jumped at the sound of the boy’s voice. He turned and locked eyes with him. He had his customer service smile on, a handful of hyacinths in his hand. 

“No, I’m just looking.” Mark swore at himself internally. He wanted to talk to him, not dismiss him. 

“My name is Donghyuck if you need anything,” he said. He gave one more smile, his eyes lingering on Mark’s face before he turned and headed into the back of the shop. 

Mark exhaled as he put the yellow tulip back in its place. Donghyuck. He got his name. What he was going to do with that information, he had no idea. 

A display of white roses caught his eye. Flowers were pretty, sure, but he didn’t know what any particular flower meant or what giving them to someone symbolized. He walked to the display and picked up a singular rose. He didn’t know why, but something in him wanted to buy this rose and give it to Donghyuck. 

He shook his head and put the flower down. That would be way too forward and weird. He was just a customer, and Donghyuck was an employee. A very beautiful employee. 

The next day was Sunday, so the shop wasn’t open. Mark spent the day fitfully doing homework, trying to keep his mind focused on his grades instead of Donghyuck. He couldn’t seem to figure out why his infatuation with the boy ran so deep, but he felt the strong urge everyday after school to visit the flower shop only to see him. 

On Monday, right on schedule, Mark walked into the flower shop. He looked around for Donghyuck, but there was a different employee behind the counter. He couldn’t ask about him, could he? Would that be too weird? 

As he was about to leave, his mind resigned to another day of barely doing homework, Donghyuck came out of the back room holding a giant bouquet of red roses for another customer in the store. The customer thanked him and left, leaving Mark alone with the employees. 

I should buy something today, he thought. He had some money from a gig he had done at a coffee shop, enough for one flower. His eyes traveled to the white roses. 

“I’m starting to think you only come here to watch me work.” Mark jumped at the sound of Donghyuck’s voice behind him. He turned around, futilely fighting the blush that crept up his neck. 

“I was going to buy something today,” he said lamely. Being near Donghyuck rendered his ability to speak completely useless. 

Donghyuck’s face broke into a grin. “Oh?” he said. “Who’s the lucky recipient?” His eyes held an unspoken question in them.

Mark shrugged, unable to retain eye contact. “Probably my mom,” he said.

Donghyuck chuckled. “She’s a lucky mom,” he said. Mark just shrugged again. 

Donghyuck couldn’t suppress a smile at how obtuse Mark was being. Donghyuck didn’t know his name, but he would be able to recognize him anywhere. He had hoped that when he said his name the other day, the customer would introduce himself, but he was clueless. Openly flirting didn’t seem to be working. 

Mark grabbed a white rose and handed it to Donghyuck quickly. Donghyuck’s eyes glittered as he imagined Mark giving it to him. A single white rose symbolizes true love and devotion. _Don’t be silly,_ Donghyuck chided himself. _You don’t even know his name._

“Follow me,” Donghyuck said as he walked to the register. “I’ll get this rung up for you.” 

Mark racked his brain for anything to say. He wanted to talk about something, get to know Donghyuck more. Should he ask him on a date? Would that weird him out? 

“How long have you been working here?” Mark said, feeling his confidence grow. He finally said something sensible. 

“A few months,” Donghyuck said. “I’ve always loved flowers, so getting to work part-time here is a dream. It also helps that my best friend is the owner.” 

Mark’s stomach erupted into butterflies as Donghyuck laughed. Why did he like this guy so much?

“Are you coming back tomorrow?” Donghyuck said.

Mark nodded, a little taken aback by the question. “Why?” he said.

“It’s a surprise.” Donghyuck winked, sending Mark into a near panic. He took the rose, bowed politely, and practically ran out of the shop. The sound of Donghyuck’s laugh blended with the bell on top of the door. 

***

Mark came back the next day, as promised. Donghyuck was waiting for him, his hands behind his back.

“Where’s the surprise?” Mark said. His palms were sweating, he was so nervous. 

Donghyuck whipped his hands out from behind his back. He was holding a bouquet of yellow flowers.

Mark took them, a question mark on his face. “Thanks,” he said. “They’re really pretty. Should I pay for these?”

Donghyuck rolled his eyes. “No, dummy,” he said. Mark looked affronted, which caused Donghyuck’s pretty laugh to escape his mouth. 

Mark reached into the inside of his jacket and brought out the white rose he had bought the previous day. He handed it to Donghyuck, his eyes on the ground. 

“I thought this was for your mom,” Donghyuck said teasingly. “You do know what a single white rose means, right?” 

Mark looked up with his eyebrows raised. “What does it mean?” he said.

“True love,” Donghyuck said, his eyes steady on Mark’s. “True love and eternal devotion to your partner.” 

Mark blushed a deep red. He probably should have done some research. 

“The yellow daffodil symbolizes new beginnings,” Donghyuck explained. His eyes held a challenge almost, a smirk on his face. 

“You want to be friends?” Mark said. 

Donghyuck looked like he wanted to hit him. “What’s your name?” he said.

“Mark,” he said.

“Mark, I want to date you,” Donghyuck said.

Mark sputtered, words evading him once again. Date? Donghyuck had been flirting with him that whole time? All those days? 

“Date me?” Mark’s way with words revealed itself in the worst ways. 

“I was going to get you red roses, but I thought that’d be too much.” Donghyuck smirked again. “Guess I probably should have.” 

Mark looked at the daffodils in his hand. New beginnings. The beautiful flower boy wanted to date him. The white rose may have been too much then, but he was sure, now that he knew the meaning of it, that he was going to be giving Donghyuck a white rose in the future.


End file.
